FIRE PREVENTION ENGINEERING ASSISTANT I - Fire Emergency

Position/Program Information

FIRE DEPARTMENT

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
OPEN COMPETITIVE - FIRE EMERGENCY

EXAM NUMBER
33772A-FR

APPLICATION FILING PERIOD
Applications will be accepted from October 9, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until October 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (PT).

The LA County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the windstorms and wildfires , including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, that have devastated communities across the County. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to assist the County in mobilizing resources and support needed to help our residents recover and rebuild. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Fire Prevention Engineering Assistant I vacancies related to this unprecedented natural disaster.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Fire Prevention Engineering Assistant I.

DEFINITION :
Under close supervision, performs professional fire protection engineering work involving review and approval of moderately difficult construction plans, and inspection of building sites for compliance with fire protection codes and regulations.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS :
Positions allocable to this entry-level fire prevention engineering class are located in the Prevention Bureau of the Fire Department. Positions work under immediate administrative and technical supervision of a higher-level fire prevention engineer and are engaged in the performance of professional engineering assignments of limited scope such as review and approval of construction plans, review of water supply systems, inspection of hydrant accessibility, and fire access for the purpose of safeguarding life and property against loss from fire, panic, explosions and related hazards. Incumbents must have a knowledge of basic engineering principles; fire codes and regulations; fire hazardous materials; knowledge of mathematics sufficient to perform related engineering calculations and the ability to read building plans, legal land maps and parcels.

Essential Job Functions

• Conducts plan reviews and issues approvals for moderately difficult architectural building plans, (e.g. small public assemblies, business/mercantile occupancies, single family and multi-family dwellings, non-high piled storage commercial industrial buildings, schools, etc.) for fire life safety requirements (e.g. fire flow, hydrant location, and vehicular access) by reviewing applicable codes (e.g. building, fire, residential, NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, etc.) and comparing submitted plans (paper and computerized) using applicable software programs (e.g. EPIC LA, etc.) to be in compliance with building codes.
• Interacts with and assists members of the public, private businesses, and government agencies in a professional/effective manner to inform applicants of code requirements and/or facilitate the permit process in person or using electronic communications.
• Reviews proposed tract and parcel maps to determine fire hydrant locations; reflect new hydrant installations; and verify Land Development Unit’s fire hydrant and fire department vehicular access requirements by using maps (e.g. Departmental GIS maps, online maps, etc.) and applicable software programs.
• Explains and interprets fire prevention engineering requirements imposed on projects submitted for review by the architects, engineers, developers or owner by communicating with applicants and providing a list of corrections to ensure compliance with applicable codes (e.g. building plans, tract and parcel maps, occupancy change of use, conditional use permits, zone changes, etc.).
• Attends meetings with higher level Fire Department staff with local government officials (e.g. County/City, Water Departments, Building/Planning Department officials, etc.) and applicants (e.g. owners, developers, architects, engineers, etc.) who possess varying degrees of responsibilities relative to the building plan and land development approval to respond to inquiries or disputes by briefing parties on department requirements.
• Consults with supervisor or higher-level staff for guidance on difficult or challenging projects or alternative methods of code compliance in order for the supervisor to facilitate resolutions by written and/or verbal communication.
• Prepares reports and maintains project files (e.g. building plans, land development files, and maps) by inputting data and information from electronic and paper sources for each project to maintain accurate records.
• Conducts field inspections (e.g. flow tests, site verifications, etc.) by visiting project sites, witnessing or performing flow tests, and verifying test results to confirm project requirements are being met.
• Performs mathematical calculations to determine building area justifications, tank sizes, occupant load, available fire flow for public and private fire protection systems, etc. using calculators, architectural/engineering scales, and software programs.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS :

Option I: An Associate's degree from an accredited* college, with completion of at least 15 semester units or 23 quarter units of fire protection related courses.

Option II: Completion of two years of a four year program in an accredited* college or university with specialization in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, architecture, fire protection engineering, fire protection administration or fire technology related field.

Option III: Two years' experience performing fire protection engineering work.**

Note: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part time experience is credited on a part time ratio, such as 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience.

LICENSE :
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE :

Out-of-Class experience will not be accepted for this examination.

PHYSICAL CLASS :
3 - Moderate: Requires that the incumbent stand or walk most of the time with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION :
* To receive credit for your education, include a copy of your official diploma, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution within 5 calendar days of filing your application. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English; if it is in a foreign language, it must be translated and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/dhr/PPG%20123.pdf (Download PDF reader) and https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205105_PPG_123_ACE_Resource_Guide.pdf .

NOTE: If credit is given for course work, transcripts must indicate completion of required course work. All transcripts/degrees may be reviewed for content and curriculum emphasis.

If you are unable to attach required documents, you must e-mail the documents to Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov within five (5) calendar days of filing online. Please ensure to indicate the examination title and number on the subject of your email.

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

**Experience performing fire protection engineering work is defined as performing design of fire protection systems or conducting building plan reviews for an authority having jurisdiction for compliance with fire protection codes and regulations.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT :

During your initial work period, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION :
Applications must be filed online only and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.

Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add
pui.yau@fire.lacounty.gov , Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov , as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com , and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com , and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance before the posting closes as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty , you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE :
The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Please fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely and correctly to receive full credit for any related education, training, and job experience. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your actual job title, beginning and ending dates, description of work performed, total number of hours worked (full or part time). Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for this job.

AVAILABLE SHIFT :
Any Shift- Appointees must be willing to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER :
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES :
For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Refer to their website for more information: http://lacountylibrary.org .

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD :
All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI) :
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst races. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Department Contact Name: Fire Examination Section

Department Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500

Department Contact Email: Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov
Analyst Contact Email: pui.yau@fire.lacounty.gov
Teletype Phone: (800) 735-2929
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 10/23/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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